Evaporating apparatus



June 10, 1941'. D, PEEBLES EVAPORATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, less MW 1 a z M W Wv; wr l v, m J F A F m M 1.0. I

1 ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,244,919 EVAPORATING APPARATUS David D. Peebles, Berkeley, Calif. Application August 15, 1938, Serial No. 224,909

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to evaporating equipment of the type making use of one or more entrainment separators for separating vapor from liquid concentrate and for collecting the liquid. Evaporating equipment of this type is disclosed and claimed in Peebles and Manning Patent No. 2,090,985.

It is an object of the invention to generally improve apparatus of the above character, whereby eflicient separation is obtained between vapor and liquid discharged from the evaporating tubes, and whereby liquid is delivered to an outlet conduit with a minimum amount of liquid storage.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide an entrainment separator suitable for evaporating equipment, which will be characterized by novel means for establishing a rotating column of vapor within the separating chamber, togetherwith adequate'means for removing liquid thereby separated from the vapor.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which thepreferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. I

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevatlonal view, in cross-section, illustrating evaporating apparatus incorporating the present invention.

Fig. 21s a cross-sectional detail taken alon the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawing consists of a receiver l0, which in this instanceis in the form of a cylindrical drum disposed in a horizontal position. -The upper side of the receiver Ill is adapted to receive a mixture of vapor and liquid from the evaporating tubes These tubes are shown surrounded by a heating jacket l2, and have their lower ends attached to the tube sheet l3. With an evaporator of the type disclosed and claimed in my c'o-pending application Serial No. 223,683, filed August 8, 1938, tube sheet 13 also connects with the up-ilow tubes H. The lower ends of these tubes, communicate with a chamber l5, which in turn connects with the liquid inlet pipe IS. The upper ends of the evaporating tubes I4 can communicate with the upper ends of the down flow tubes 1 l; by means of a suitable transfer chamber as disclosed in said co-pending application. Pipe I! is for introduction of steam into the heating jacket, while pipe i8 is illustrated for removal of condensate.

The lower side of'the receiver l connects with an outlet conduit IS, the end of which connects with the liquid discharge pipe 20, or a pipe leadmg to the intake of a liquid pump. One end wall 2| of the receiver I0 is provided with an opening Within which is disposed the short conduit section 22. The outer end of this conduit section is flanged for attachment to a vapor removal pipe. The vapor pipe may connect with the heating jacket of another evaporating stage, or may connect directly to a condenser.

Within the receiver I0, and substantially in alignment with the axis of the conduit section 22, there s an open ended conduit 23. This conduit extends through and is secured to a partition wall 24, which in effect divides the interior of the receiver l0 into two compartments Illa and lllb. Therefore vapor discharged from the down flow tubes into chamber Illa, must flow longitudinally through the conduit 23; before entering the vapor outlet conduit 22. The open inlet 26 of conduit 23 is to one side of the lineof discharge from the downfiow tubes so that any jetting from the lower ends of these tubes can not directly enter conduit 23. outlet end 21 of conduit 23 is spaced a substantial distance from the adjacent end of the conduit 22, for a purpose to be presently explained.

Means are provided within the conduit 23 whereby a substantially rotary motion is imparted to vapor flow. The simple means illustrated consists of a bafile wall 28, which extends diametrically across the interior of the conduit 23, and which also extends from one end 01 the conduit to the other. This bailie wall is twisted substantially180 upon itself, thereby imparting rotary motion to flow through the conduit.

In operating the separator described above, a substantial amount of liquid is removed in the compartment lllb, and must be drained from this compartment into the outlet conduit I 9. Provision is made for such drainage without interfering with the necessary-pressure difierential between this compartment and the compartment Ina. Thus at the lower end, of the wal1 2 immediately overlying the interior of outlet I9, there is a ledge 29, which serves to isolate the interior of outlet l9 from the compartment lllb.

Extending through this ledge 29 there is a liquid drain pipe 3|, and the lower end '32 of this pipe has a laterally faced opening. A pivoted valve member 33 is biased by gravity to normally close the lower end of pipe 3|, and to act as a check to prevent back flow of vapor or liquid'from the interior of outlet l9 into pipe 3|. The upper end of pipe 3| is provided with an annular flange 34, to rest upon ledge 29. A bale 36 or like device is also shown attached to the upper end of pipe The open 3|, and by liftingupon this bale the pipe can be raised through the opening provided in ledge 29, and thus removed from the receiver ID for cleanmg.-

Operation of the apparatus described above can be reviewed as follows: Vapor is removed from the conduit 22, as by means of a condenser, and pipe 20 connected to a suitable liquid pump. Assuming now that the apparatus isin operation and that vapor together with entrained liquid droplets are being discharged from the downiiow tubes ll, a part of this liquid is immediately separated from the vapor and is drained dovm into the lower outlet conduit l9. together with the remaining entrained liquid is caused to flow with considerable velocity through the conduit 23, and the rotary motion imparted to the flow through this conduit causes further separation of entrained liquid. The liquid removed in the conduit 23 passes from the opening 21 into the compartment lb, and compartment lllb also collects a certain amount of remaining entrained liquid which is thrown outwardly from the vapor, as the vapor expands from the discharge end of conduit 23. All of the liquid collected in chamber lob flows down into the pipe 3|, and forms a column of liquid upon the check valve 33. When a sufficient liquid head has accumulated upon check valve 33, this valve will open automatically to permit drainage of liquid into the lower end of outlet ii), to intermingle with liquid drainage from" the compartment Illa. At all timesthere will be some remaining liquid head upon valve 33, due to the pressure head required to move this valve to open position. Thus it is possible to maintain the necessarily lower pressure in chamber llib, as compared to the vapor pressure in chamber Illa, without a back flow of vapor through the pipe 3|.

The apparatus described above will afi'ord efficient separation, and at the same time there is a minimum amount of storage of removed liquid. 'Ilhe apparatus has found useful application with evaporating equipment handling liquid food products sensitive to heat treatment, such as milk or milk products, fruit juices, and thelike. When handling such materials strict cleanliness and sterile conditions must be maintained. With my equipment it is a simple matter to clean and sterilize the interior of the separating ap- The vapor liquid into said one of 'said compartments; a liquid outlet chamber depending from said casing in open communication with said one compartment, and means including a check valve for draining liquid from said other compartment into saidliquid outlet chamber.

.2. In apparatus of the] character described having a receiver comprising a horizontally dising from said casingin open conmiunication with said one compartment, a drain pipe extending from said other compartment into said outlet chamber, and check valve means in said pipe for maintaining a head of liquid therein; whereby to provide a liquid seal between said compartments and prevent disturbance of the pressure diiierential therebetween while providing for mingling oi the drainage therefrom.

paratus, and as previously pointed out the drainage pipe 3| can be readily removed for cleaning and sterilizing.

I claim:

1. In evaporating apparatus of the character described having a receiver comprising a horiconduit extending v through said partition to establish communication therebetween, and

means for discharging vapor and entrained 3. In apparatus of the character described having a receiver comprising a horizontally disposed casing, a vertically disposed partition serving to,divide the interior of the receiver into two compartments, an open-ended conduit extending through said partition to establish communication therebetween, and means for discharging vapor and entrained liquid into said one of said compartments; a liquid outlet chamber depending from said casing in open communication with said one compartment, said chamber being positioned beneath said partition to underlie a portion of both said compartments,

and drainage means extending from said other compartment into said outlet chamber including a check valve for maintaining a head of liquid in said drainage means.

4. In apparatus of the character described having a receiver comprising a horizontally disposed casing, a vertically disposed partition serving to divide the interior of the receiver into two compartments, an open-ended conduit extending through said partition to establish communication therebetween, and means for discharging vapor and entrained liquid into said one of 'said compartments; a liquid outlet chamber depending from said casing in open communication with said one compartment, a drain pipe extending from said other compartment into said outlet chamber, and check valve means in said pipe for maintaining a head of liquid therein, whereby to provide a liquid seal between said compartments and prevent disturbance of the pressure differential therebetween while providing for mingling of the drainage therefrom, and a drainage pipe removably seated in a wall of said other compartment and extending downwardly into said outlet chamber.

DAVID D. PEEBLES. 

